Web of Betrayal
by Demonforged
Summary: For the love of one came two, and for the dark desire...comes another. How twisted can emotions make a person?
1. Changes

Will stared at his reflection on the frost edged window as he absently played around with a black tie with slender fingers. The silky fabric gleamed dully, stark against the pale skin of his fingers.

He had changed from the boy who had discovered himself an Old One on midwinter's day. The stocky figure had grown, his frame now lean and slim, the limbs full of coiled grace, like an exotic cat. His straight, dark brown hair pooled down to his shoulder blades, giving him a solemn look despite the stark difference before his and normal haircuts. He could never find the reason that prompted him to wear his hair long. Perhaps for the sheer need to make himself different from humans. But more likely to started alienating people when he would inevitably disappear, a façade of lies stretched to its limit.

Somber silvery eyes darkened slightly. The irony, that the Light would have to hide itself in lies. The Light, so harsh and disciplined, leaving him to suffer the burden of eternity alone. His ageless features were already causing trouble, and had even become part of family jokes at his youthfulness. The lie was already starting to crumble at the edges.

Abruptly, he sighed and buttoned up the crisp white shirt, carefully tilting his neck as he put on the tie, loosely though, as he found the feeling of it so secure around his neck unsettling. Mary had chided him more than once on the 'sloppy' look, but it still never changed his habit of putting it on loosely. He grabbed at a belt and proceeded to thread it through his black pants, picking up a comb to lightly brush his hair with one hand until he looked adequately presentable. Kneeling by the side of his bed, he blindly groped underneath until his hand came in contact with two polished shoes, which he put on.

He softly opened the door, swinging it open with nary a creak of protest. Already, he could hear the bustle in the kitchens below as tantalizing scents called to him beckoningly. A feminine laugh rang out, followed by familiar voices as the clang of pots rang in his ears. He entered the kitchen so quietly that it took a while for the occupants to notice him.

"Will!"

Jane squealed happily as she flung herself at him, nearly choking him as her fingers accidentally hooked onto the necktie and was yanked down by her weight. Will could barely manage to wheeze out a greeting before she planted a light peck on his cheek.

"Chill, Jane." Simon's voice said sternly as he greeted Will with a stiff nod of his neck, scowling protectively at his sister. "I think you're choking him."

Mortified, Jane stepped away, anxiously scanning Will's face. "I didn't hurt you did I will?" She said anxiously, then slightly frowned, as she opened her mouth to speak again.

However, a lilting voice spoke before she could.

"You look tired there, Will." The mortal Pendragon gazed intently at the Old One. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Who wouldn't with so much work from the University? I swear, I feel like giving those idiots a good old spanking for having their classes so bloody early in the morning and ending so late at night. What do they think students can do? Stop time to study?" Mary said with a derisive shake of her head.

Will cleared his throat softly.

"_Mary_…"

Should I continue? Review if you want me to, and I'll decide…


	2. Secret Garden

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Mary said with a grin, "Still uncomfortable whenever we start talking about the supernatural aren't we?"

"Eh, quit teasing me, Mary…"

With barely noticeable flicker of breathtaking silver eyes, Will broke the silence. "So was the flight here nice? I hear that they've gotten some vicious little winds going around."

The comment instantly brought a chorus of groans and Simon momentarily forgot his dislike of Will as he said with disgust, "Bloody turbulence caused all the drinks to spill, and no one could keep their food down. You should have seen the WC," His brows knit together, "stank like a pigsty and just as messy."

Will whistled in disbelief, a ready smile on his lips.

"Right. Speaking of pigsties, you have to hear Mary's story of how-"

"WILL STANTON, YOU BE QUIET!" His sister shrieked, in mock fury. "Or else I'll show them your most embarrassing baby pictures-"

"What?" Will protested, "That's blackmail!"

Soon the kitchen was filled with warm laughter as the others joined in.

The guests were shown to their rooms, Will being charmingly polite and amiable as they took a quick tour of the house.

"And this is my garden." Will said with a soft genuine smile as they followed a twisting path to a tiny hidden glade. Jane gasped softly in delight as the company stood in front of the garden. It was designed in the shape of a circle and a cross, the borders being beautiful rose bushes, with pure white petals that lightly wove to and fro in a gentle breeze. The delicate aroma teasingly lingered in the air, lightly scenting their hair.

In the center of the cross was planted a straight and tall rowan, and a tiny natural fissure in the ground from with a gurgling brook sprang. At the carpet of soft moss spreading outwards from the tree lay a book with a ribbon stuck between its pages, and a slight indentation in the moss showed where a body had rested on it, presumably reading the book.

Bran leaned forward solemnly and lightly caressed a rose, the bloom blending in perfectly with the pale skin on his hand.

He looked at Will almost hesitantly, golden eyes flashing a tentative question at him. Will silently stepped forward in response and tenderly touched the bloom. It seemed to readily surrender itself into the Old One's hand. He took the rose and placed it in Bran's hand.

"For you." He said, almost formally as he stepped away. Will took another rose and turned and gave another rose to Jane, noticing, with a slight but fading smile, the look in her face.

"And this for you, fair lady."

"Poetic, aren't we?" Simon grumbled, intruding in the almost mystical moment. "Jane's no lady."

Jane flushed crimson in annoyance and embarrassment, trying surreptitiously to kick her overprotective brother, not quite meeting Will's eyes.

Then Will started absently and laughed softly. "Oh dear, did I drift off into my 'mad' English poetry again? Sorry for that, you know how random the English are."

"Tch," Bran snorted, rolling his eyes. "Since when were you not a crazy English? You folk are loony as jackrabbits."

This comment induced a series of laughs and comments at Will's expense, where he pretended to fiercely scowl at them, issuing ridiculous justifications.

"Come," Will said abruptly, peering at his old fashioned, moon-faced watch. "I think Mary wants us back at 8:00 p.m. sharp, we're eating dinner at the Villa."

Later…

Will frowned as he led the company over the estate grounds that belonged to Mary, who had purchased the comfortable home with her salary from being a successful doctor well on her way to fame. There was something in the air that caused his skin to prickle. Worriedly, he wondered fleetingly if the Dark had somehow managed to come back again-but it could not be…or could it? The thought sent a brief chill up his spine, to think that he, the only Old One left to guard this world, would have to fight alone against another rising.

Mary greeted them with a big shout.

"Finally, you're back! I thought you'd all decided to spend the rest of the evening in Will's garden. Or maybe you were all asleep after listening to Will talk about the wonderfulness of his garden and such."

Will groaned. "Give me a break, Mary," The Old One complained with a exaggerated note of wronged grievance in his voice. "I'm not that boring. Besides," Will jabbed a finger triumphantly at his watch. "I brought them back right on time."

"Sure," Mary rolled her eyes as they continued their friendly sibling banter, "so did you guys have to run all the way over here? "

"Actually…" Bran shot a sly look at Will, a slight twitch of lips barely visible as he continued, "We ran ahead of him so we wouldn't have to listen to him and his poetry."

"Ack!" Mary said, feigning a fake spasm, "Not the poetry!"

Will sniffed at them. "Nothing's wrong with my poetry," He teased back, "You just can't understand it."

"Which makes it wrong to us normal folk." Simon sneered.

The pleasant warm breeze seemed to die and an odd eerie silence settled over the group at Simon's hostile words, with a barely concealed insulting tone in it.

Will paused and tilted his head at Simon, with a strange look in his eyes.

"Yes." The Watchman whispered, an odd solemn timber to his voice that made all present shiver, almost in dread, "I am the only one who will ever understand."

Jane broke the melancholy mood.

"Of course you're the only one who can understand them, for heaven's sake, you created them! But I do rather like them, Will."

"You do?" Will said, mildly confused, but he offered her a small smile that made her face light up with joy. "Well thank you, Jane."

"Alright people," Mary said decisively, going over to the white minivan, fumbling for the car keys. "In you go. Simon, you want to sit in front?"

"Sure." Simon said reluctantly, unable to find a good excuse not to. The car shook and dipped slightly lower as the loaded in, Will squeezed into the middle of the backseat with Bran on his right and Jane on his left. Will helped the Bran and Jane find their seatbelts, blinking in surprise as the two sported identical flushed faces when he was done.

"Are you guys hot?" Will asked with a mild rise of his eyebrows. It was a cool autumn evening, definitely nowhere near hot, but the two heads quickly shook, almost too quick, and mumbled a "yes" could be heard.

"You can roll down the windows if you want." Will suggested, and the two quickly complied.

"Brr…" Simon muttered, "It's bloody cold in here now. I just turned on the heater, too!"


	3. Impossible

_Wow! I updated! 0 _

_For your information, I'm going to transfer this story over to my SilverEchoes username account when I update next, and delete this version. See you all there!_

Will politely thanked the waitress as she went away with their orders.

"Oh." Jane groaned as she enviously eyed the dishes on another table. "I feel ravenous. It's been so long since I had some good food."

"This wind does pick up your appetite doesn't it?" Bran commented, looking completely at ease with the startled looks people sent his way. He didn't blame then, for how often does one see an albino boy? At least they tolerated his presence. He was grateful to find no evil eyes, or hostile looks directed at him, merely curious ones.

The group was out on a small courtyard warmed by torches that gave off light and warmth as they were securely grasped in twisted metal structures nailed into the ground. The stars twinkled overhead, bright pinpricks of light against a velvet midnight blue sky.

"What are you studying, Will?" Jane said, attempting to start a conversation.

The Old One twisted an inquisitive eyebrow at the question, and shrugged. "All sorts of things. Engineering, Medical Sciences, Earth Science, Arts, History…"

"Oh." Jane nodded understandingly. "Can't decide, can you? Which one's your favorite then?"

"History." Another voice answered for Will, and Bran looked embarrassed as eyes focused on him, with varying degrees of surprise, except for Will, who had a calm neutral look on his handsome face.

"It's just that," Bran searched for an explanation, "well, to put it simply, Will has this way of wandering around to some ancient and historic place whenever we go out for a little vacation."

"You go to the same university that he's in?" Jane blurted out, surprise evident in her features.

"Our dorms are right next door to each other." Will said, placidly. "And he's in my Ancient Western History class."

"So where is Barney at again?" Mary said.

"The Royal Academy of Art. " Simon said, proud of his brother. "He got a scholarship there. They aren't too eager for their students to have long breaks, so he's spending the holidays with his friends on campus."

He suddenly paused, head tilting up as he seemed to regard the air above Will's head.

Will became of the sounds issuing from a TV behind him. Turning slightly around, he caught a brief image of a large plume of smoke in the background before a harried looking blond reporter stepped into view.

"…Near seven o' clock this evening, a previously undetected meteor shot through the atmosphere and has apparently-" The reporter broke off with a small cough, her eyes somewhat red around the rims, before continuing, "landed an acre away from the famous Stonehenge structure. The structure is now declared unstable due to the impact shock and is now off limits to visitors…"

The camera zoomed in on the smoking impact site once more, and Will suddenly found himself drawn to the center of the crater, in, in…

_Old One! _

Will gasped at the sudden familiar voice, the menacing tone of the thought, and something…darker, more primal and savage. His mind flared with sharp agony as something tried to break into his mental defenses. Dimly, he felt his body collapse, and faintly heard worried, panicked cries as he desperately focused all of his powers to stop this vicious, incredibly powerful mental attack. A Dark attack.

"How…?" He whispered, before the attack overcame him in his unprepared mind and he fell into a black void.


End file.
